Apple Welcomes First AI Agent, Poke, to Messages for Business
Poke, a startup enabling AI agents via text, is the first to be approved for Apple's Messages for Business. The platform previously only allowed direct business-to-customer communication.
Palo Alto, California-based startup Poke has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first artificial intelligence agent approved to operate on Apple’s Messages for Business platform. This development opens a new avenue for consumer interaction with AI, moving beyond traditional business-to-customer communication channels within iMessage. The Messages for Business service has historically been designated for enterprises such as airlines, retailers, and hotel chains to engage with their clientele, offering a consistent interface supporting both automated responses and live human agents. Until Poke's approval, the platform had not been accessible to independent third-party AI agents.
Launched in March 2026, Poke distinguishes itself by offering AI accessibility to everyday users who may lack the technical expertise for command-line interfaces or sophisticated agent systems. The AI service currently facilitates common tasks including daily scheduling, calendar management, health and fitness tracking, smart home control, and photo editing, all through simple text messages. The company reports that Poke has already processed approximately 100 million messages across platforms like SMS, Telegram, and WhatsApp in certain regions. The integration with Apple's iMessage is expected to broaden its reach significantly.
Expanding AI Interaction Possibilities
The approval of Poke on Apple's Messages for Business comes shortly before Apple's anticipated Worldwide Developers Conference, where the company is expected to unveil AI-focused enhancements, including an updated Siri and new AI tools for developers. While rumors suggested Apple might open its App Store to AI agents, this particular integration focuses on the Messages for Business channel rather than a standalone consumer app. This distinction means users can interact with businesses through the familiar iMessage interface for services like information retrieval, customer support, and appointment booking, without needing to make phone calls.
Marvin von Hagen, co-founder of The Interaction Company of California, the startup behind Poke, detailed the business model, explaining that Poke will compensate Apple on a per-user basis. While specific pricing remains confidential, von Hagen indicated it is considerably less expensive than Meta AI's revised fees following European Union regulations. This per-user fee structure could represent a substantial new revenue stream for Apple, while also introducing a distribution cost for AI agent startups.
“I think that Apple is just noticing this is the best way to offer AI, and…actually, good for them, because they charge us,” von Hagen stated. “They charge us per user on the platform and actually make money with this, especially if it becomes really big.” He further expressed optimism about the future growth of Apple's support for AI agents.
Gaining Apple's approval involved demonstrating the capability to provide live support if necessary and ensuring the AI agent was clearly identified as such. Poke also furnished testimonies from its messaging service providers and adapted its user interface to align with Apple's guidelines. For instance, the iMessage version of Poke must display link previews instead of inline links and adhere to Apple's style guide for interface elements like buttons. “This took a couple of months to adhere to all of these standards, and it will take anyone else who wants to build on this — it will also take them a couple of months to get through this approval process,” von Hagen added.
The significance of being the first approved agent is rooted in trust and alignment, according to von Hagen. “It was also just important that we were very aligned in terms of the positioning of the company,” he explained, noting that many current consumer products prioritize achieving metrics through less scrupulous methods. “We care about quality, we care to have a brand that signals trust.”
It remains uncertain whether Apple will announce further AI agent developments on its Messages for Business platform at the upcoming WWDC. However, Poke is currently issuing invitations to existing users, offering them the option to transition to the iMessage experience. The startup, which has secured substantial funding from investors like Spark Capital and General Catalyst, recently raised an additional $10 million, adding to its previous $15 million seed round. With a post-money valuation of $300 million, Poke is poised to leverage this new platform integration.